It was Melanie's own fault.She was the one who brought up the surveillance cameras at home, so Yosef checked the files to make sure the old videos were all overwritten. Indeed, there was nothing to fear.The videos were gone, but the memories stayed with him, distracting him even in meetings.He had to see her, and there she was, asleep on the couch—unguarded.Her head was tilted, showing off the graceful curve of her neck and shoulders.Her skin was so pale and delicate, with just a hint of blue veins showing.Yosef used to think that romance was just a simple part of life, nothing to get too worked up about. After being away from Zara for so long, however, he realized he really missed her. He gently kissed her lips and slowly lifted her nightgown. Zara was caught off guard by his sudden return. She felt trapped on the couch, with no place to hide from his strong embrace. His eyes were half-closed. His face was so close that she could see the details of his eyebrows and nose.
Zara was scrubbing her hands with soap and a brush when she looked up and saw a bright red mark on her neck in the mirror.She closed her eyes, trying not to think about it.She told herself that the close call she just had could have been much worse.Zara opened her eyes again, her face calm.She washed her hands a few more times, put on some concealer to hide the mark, and chose a turtleneck sweater to put on.As she tossed her nightgown into the hamper, she noticed Yosef's clothes. They were not what he wore yesterday... Did he wear them out last night?She looked closer and saw a blood stain on his white jacket. Yosef did not seem hurt earlier, right?Curious, Zara examined the jacket. The blood must have come from someone else.The fabric was of good quality, and smells would cling to it. She caught a hint of disinfectant.Did Yosef go to a hospital?He must have been there for a while for his clothes to still smell like it.Why did he go to the hospital last night for
Zara turned to him. "I was fast asleep. I didn't know."Yosef's deep eyes held hers until he was done wiping his hands with the towel. "Shouldn't you ask me why I went out?"Zara's brows creased slightly. "I've never pried into your business before, have I?"Looking calm, he dropped the towel. "You could start asking more."Zara was puzzled. Were his expectations for her really getting that strict?The enchanting Jerring-style restaurant suddenly did not seem so charming anymore.Zara gave a casual nod. "Sure."For the next 72 hours, she had to agree to anything he said.Yosef got up and moved closer to Zara. "What are you looking at?"He peeked at the sight outside. "Feel like going on a boat ride?"Zara shook her head. "No, I'm just checking things out.""I'll take you if you want," Yosef said. Without waiting for her response, he strode out of the room. Zara had only been looking, but now she had no choice but to tag along.He always did whatever he wanted.Yosef quickl
Both Eugene and Zara, who were on the boat, looked toward the voice.They saw a window with a man and a woman leaning on it.The man was the one who had called out to them. Zara thought, 'What are the chances?'It was Yaxley.Yaxley was not from around here; he was from Sylverton and had only come to Starville for the Stewart family's party. Zara did not expect to run into him here, at a restaurant that served Jerring cuisine.The young woman with him was new to Zara. She was really pretty, and even from far away, Zara could tell she had delicate features.Zara took the chance to move past the awkward moment. "Mr. Webb, that's Mr. Lark.""I see him," Yosef said, giving her a quick look. He decided not to fuss about her backtalk for now and told the boatman to head for the shore.Yaxley and the young woman stepped away from the window."I just wanted to check out the scenery from the window, and there you were, Mr. Webb." Yaxley chuckled. "What's the deal with this little boat?
Zara suddenly remembered the time on the Stewart family's yacht. Yosef had led her to a room upstairs where Yaxley was waiting at a table, demanding she light his cigarette for him.If she had done it, she would have felt like she was disrespecting herself, so she refused.What she did not expect was for Yaxley to dig up that old incident and try to settle the score now.Once Zara caught on, she felt the same sense of being looked down upon as before—with an added sting of being mocked without even knowing it.She was quietly fuming.It was just lighting a cigarette, nothing more. She did not even have a good reason to make a scene.Yosef gave her a blank look before going back to his conversation with Yaxley, though his voice had turned noticeably cooler.Zara kept eating quietly. Just then, her phone buzzed with a message from Stanley. He was asking for some data, which she quickly sent over.Stefan: [How's your mom? Are you at the hospital? I might drop by to see her.]Zara
Leah bit her lip and stood up. "Just wait here for me, Yaxley."She then hurried out of the private dining room....Yosef had to return to his office, while Zara was off to visit her mom in the hospital.They said their goodbyes at the restaurant door. Zara said in a formal tone, "Mr. Webb, I'm heading out."Yosef eyed her suspiciously. "Did you report Yaxley for smoking inside?"She kept her cool. "Mr. Webb, I really didn't."Not quite convinced, he showed a smirk. "I never said you were wrong to do it."Zara was not about to admit to anything just because he suggested it. She did not trust him."Mr. Webb, I really didn't do it."Yosef was not in the mood for small talk. He gently held Zara's chin and looked into her eyes. "Listen, you don't have to do everything people tell you, unless I'm the one asking. Do you understand?" Zara bit her lip and nodded slightly."Good. Finish up quickly and pack when you get home. You're coming with me to Rofey Manor this weekend."Zar
Oh.That was why Yosef left East Coast last night. Beatrice had an accident.The blood on his coat and the smell of disinfectant were from Beatrice.He stayed with her all night? That really showed he cared.Zara looked at them, saying softly, "I'll be at East Coast tonight, and I'll probably be with Yosef in the next couple of days too. Beatrice, you can keep calling him away. If he wants to go to you, I won't stand in the way."Beatrice froze for a moment before shooting to her feet. "You!"Her eyes were filled with tears, as if she had been hit hard. She could not find the words to say.Georgia Tanner, Beatrice's mom, was even more furious and tried to push Zara. "You little troublemaker!"Zara stepped aside with a small smile on her face before walking away.Georgia shouted after her, "Showing off in front of his real girlfriend after messing with their relationship, you have no shame at all!"Zara rode the elevator straight to the top floor.They thought she was picking
Zara decided to ignore him.It was winter, so not sweating much meant she could wear the same clothes for a couple of days without a problem.She had a plan, however. She reached out to a salesperson at a brand store she had shopped at before, asking them to help pick out two outfits. She was willing to pay extra to have the clothes delivered right to Rofey Manor.It was late, though, and the salesperson had already left for the day. They promised to take care of it first thing in the morning.Zara sent a thank you message.…Yosef and Zara arrived at the manor at midnight. Yaxley himself came out to greet them, and his eyes lit up when he saw Zara. "Mr. Webb, you brought Ms. Lowry too? Great! We're all up playing cards. It's more fun with more people. Why don't you join us?"Yosef nodded and then asked Zara, "You in?"Zara gave a polite no. "Mr. Webb, I'm pretty sleepy.""Alright. Ms. Lowry, you go on and get some sleep. You'll want to be rested for tomorrow's fun," Yaxley
Harper's kisses were always teasing, intentionally awakening her senses.Their tongues tangled, taking her breath away. When she felt like she could not breathe and instinctively grabbed at his shirt, Harper let go and kissed his way down to her chin, neck, and chest.She could not resist him.Shelby was torn. She did not have to hold back her body's needs and reactions, especially since they could not end their marriage just yet. He was her husband, after all, so why should she deny herself? She decided to make the most of it.Men could easily separate love from physical desire, and women could too. Shelby did not think that accepting Harper's touches meant she liked him. It was just about meeting a need.She would just get that over with.Shelby's fingers gripped the sheets tightly as Harper kissed her growing belly. She was six months along, and her belly was a little bigger. The thought of their child made his heart melt, and he kissed her several more times before suddenly s
Shelby made a sound of agreement, her back sore from sitting too long. She leaned back against Harper without much thought. She was busy with her work and not in the mood for conversation.Harper quickly got the gist of the case file. In short, it was a classic example of someone facing the consequences of their own actions.In the western part of Starville, there was a middle school and a vocational school. The two schools were just a street apart. Not all, but at least 80% of the vocational school students were troublemakers.One of those students, Yered, often rounded up his gang to shake down the middle school kids for their money.Since last year, the bullies had been targeting Steven Scott, a middle schooler. They would often demand money from him. Steven was shy and scared, so he never stood up to them and just handed over the cash.However, this time, as he was walking with a girl from his class, the bullies blocked their path again. They started to pick on the girl becaus
Samantha was really happy. She lifted her finger elegantly and said softly, "One step at a time. First, we'll make sure the child is gone. Then, we'll push them to divorce, and in the end, when she's weak from losing the baby, we'll take care of her." If Shelby died as Harper's wife, then Harper would get everything, and that would be bad. The two women agreed. While reclining on their bamboo chairs, they started dreaming about their perfect future—one with the Young family and the other with all the money. Since the foot masseuse could not hear or speak, they talked freely, not worried about anyone overhearing them. After the massage, they even went to eat together. The masseuse quietly cleaned up and tidied the room. Then, she headed straight for the lookout point. The resort was in the mountains, with lots of trees and streams. The lookout was up high, with a great view of all the little mountains. It was a beautiful spot that every guest at the hotel made sure to visit.
Adalee was doubtful. "Is it really that serious? Our husband doesn't like that dowdy wife or the eldest son. Even if he's started to favor Harper more because of his marriage to the Lambert family, that still won't affect our children.""Our husband used to leave the company matters to our sons, but now he's handing them over to Harper. Who knows what the future holds?" Samantha said with a hint of malice. "We can't take that risk. We can't let Harper get too much leverage. We can't let him and his child have too great a chance to win."Adalee could see Samantha was desperate and asked anxiously, "What are you thinking of doing? She's a lawyer. She knows the law, and she's the sole heir to the Lambert family."Samantha's eyes suddenly became slits. "That's right, she's the only one who will inherit the Lambert family's fortune. With that kind of money, there are loads of people who want to trick her or get their hands on it. "She's a lawyer, not a superhero. Just wait. I'll make
It was Shelby's first visit to the Youngs' place, and by chance, she walked in on his father's so-called second and third wives being snide to Harper. His dad had not lifted a finger to help. It seemed like this was not a one-off occurrence.Was that the way they always treated him?Harper, taken aback by her blunt question, nearly slammed on the brakes. What?"Me, being pushed around in the family? That's just because I can't be bothered..." Who would waste their time arguing with a bunch of women or stoop so low as to fight with their dad's other women? That would be so embarrassing, right?However, he stopped himself mid-sentence.Because he suddenly realized that by saying that, he was making it sound like he felt bad for being 'picked on' at home.Harper slowed the car down and glanced at Shelby. Her eyebrows were knitted together, and she looked really serious. She was definitely not happy.He almost smiled, but he pushed it back down. He swallowed hard and changed his voi
She faced Samantha, not bothering to argue about inheritance rights. "You still haven't answered my earlier question. What does 'stepmother' mean?"Caught off guard by the sudden shift back to the topic, Samantha was momentarily speechless.Shelby did not wait for her to catch up. She pulled out her phone and quickly tapped the screen."Ah, I see," Shelby remarked, glancing at her phone. "According to this, 'stepmother' used to refer to a concubine in ancient times. That's similar to a servant, isn't it? So, in modern terms, it's like a maid. "Got it now. Would you mind getting me some salad? Thanks."The nerve of her, treating Samantha like a common maid! She had never been so insulted. "You!"Shelby set her phone down and met her gaze. "Since you're so curious, I'll fill you in. In the Lambert family, my word is law. If you're ever curious about me again, just ask me directly. No need to rely on rumors."Samantha bit her lip and looked to Gilbert for support, but he just sat
It was Shelby.Pregnant and in flats, she stood firm with not a hint of weakness about her.Her steady gaze fell on the two women who fancied themselves important, leaving them at a loss for words.Harper paused for just a moment, then quickly got to his feet and hurried over. "Dear!"The Young family's house was bright and airy. Harper's eyes sparkled with the unexpected joy of seeing Shelby, who had said she would not come. His face lit up with a smile.Shelby watched him, amused. She thought he was like their excited Shiba Inu, dashing over at the sight of its owner.Harper reached her side, calling out again, "Dear."Shelby gave a small nod. "Yeah."The guests at the dining table snapped out of their surprise, and Wrenley beamed. "Shelby, you're here."Shelby greeted her parents-in-law, "Mom, Dad."Wrenley hurried over to help her, her actions showing just how much she cherished her daughter-in-law.That was Shelby's first visit to the Young family since her wedding. She
Harper waited until Wrenley had said enough, andthen he spoke up."I just don't get you. Your family's loaded, my grandparents are laidback, and Dad doesn't even like you. Why stick to him? Just divorce him, take half his stuff, go home, and hang out with some young models. "That'd be way better than sticking to a lost cause. You've got no ambition."If it were Shelby, she would have left by then if he had not trapped her by getting her pregnant and holding something over her head. Why couldn't his mom be more like his wife?"In your dreams!"Wrenley, with tears in her eyes, scoffed. "The Young family wasn't always so fancy. I married him, and he promised me the moon. 'A good wife helps me reach my dreams, and I'll pay her back in gold.' And then what? "Once the Young family made it big, he just kept bringing in more women and their kids. How can I accept that? I'll fight him to the end, even if it kills me!"Harper sighed. "You want to fight him, I don't. Shelby and her baby
"An old friend?" Zara questioned. "If an old friend wanted to see me, they should be visiting the cemetery, not here."Only a very few people knew she was still alive.Shawn asked, "Is it a man or a woman?""A young man. He also said something else...""What did he say?"The butler hesitated, then relayed, "He said... The miss tricked him, and now she owes him for it."Zara was speechless.The garden fell silent for a moment, with only the whisper of the summer wind rustling through the flowers.Seconds later, Shawn set aside his tablet and smiled slightly. "Really? That sounds fun. Get him to come in. I'd like to meet him too."Zara had thought it was just a joke, but when the butler led the visitor in, she stood up in astonishment.It was him!...In Parnova, the sun shone brightly.However, in Starville, the weather was turning.The sky had been clear when Harper left home in the morning. However, when he reached the Youngs' place at noon, he saw the sun hidden behind